Hey CC! I’m a senior, and I’m in the midst of the frenzy like pretty much every other senior here.
I’d love some advice on my college list. I feel like I need some reassurance that it’s balanced enough and I’d love some insight into these schools if anyone would like to offer some!
Brown
Columbia
Duke
Georgetown
Harvard
Northeastern (EA)
U of Missouri (accepted)
U of Virginia (EA)
Vanderbilt
Mizzou is my absolute safety, and I feel decently confident that I will get into Northeastern and U Virginia. My dream school is, I think, Brown, but I would be happy to go anywhere on this list, and that’s important to me.
Basic stats/stuff:
- Not a member of a minority group, first gen, or an athlete
- 5/368 class rank (should go up at semester) at a Midwestern public school
- Looking to study political science or international affairs, or something similar
- 3.94/4.00 UW GPA, full IB diploma + one extra AP class
- 35C ACT, SATII Literature 770, Spanish 720
- National Merit Semifinalist, some state/national journalism awards
- NHS Pres, actively involved in community/school ECs usually with leadership positions
- Varsity golf for 3 years, varsity scholar bowl 3 years, captain this year
- I’m going to be giving a teen TED talk later this year, currently trying to work that into essays
- Recommendations should be great, especially from my counselor
I would love input! Is my list too top-heavy? (Yes.) Any last-minute suggestions? Obviously it’s a bit late to apply EA most places, but I’m open to suggestions of any similar schools or things that I could do to make my list a bit more well-rounded.
It seems a bit reach heavy.
The three ivies are long-shots for everyone, and Vanderbilt, Georgetown and Duke also have very low admit rates. That’s six out of nine with admit rates below 20% … some way below.
If I were you’d I’d feel more comfortable with a couple more schools where you’re likely to be admitted, if only so you have more options and don’t feel boxed into a corner. Your stats and ECs are great, and there are tons of schools that would love to have you (and will probably award you great merit aid, too.)
Miami of Ohio and American University might be good options in your areas of interest. (For that matter, George Washington, too… if you’re truly thinking polisci/international affairs, Washington, DC, would be a great place to go to school.
It’s good that you’ll have answers on Northeastern and Virginia relatively early, though. (I agree you have pretty good chances of being admitted to both!) That may help clarify things… but I’d look for another school or two that’s strong in your area of interest.
Best wishes!
@MidwestMomTo2 Thank you for the advice! I’ll definitely look into those two, and see if I can find a few more matches to add on to my list. George Washington, especially! Forgot about that one.
My thing with my matches, though, is that Northeastern gives pretty good merit aid for National Merit, and I would be happy to go there. I can’t imagine finding another match school that I’d like just as much.
My D is also applying EA to Northeastern and she’s also NMSF. We were just there. It’s a great school. (Mizzou is also her safety, but she’d happily go there, too… at least I think so. She has yet to visit.) You should be in great shape… Personally I’d feel more comfortable with one or two more likelies.
You could be in the running for the Scholars program at Northeastern: full tuition plus many perks.